A drive around Pulau Duyong

 My long time friend Awi, a man who has weathered life on the island of Duyong building chalets in the river with his own hands and called it the Yellow House. It is being visited over the years by numerous travelers who seek the path less traveled. Writers and artists from all over the world, seasoned seekers of the path in one form or another. 

We survived our friendship despite all its trils and tribulations and arriving at becoming grandfathers watching our children make their own errors and learning to survive.

 Awi carved a piece out of the natural mangrove environment and turned into a retreat for the way ward and the lost. He built his own resort on the water where the toilet hole leads straight down into the mud or water bellow depending upon whether it be at high tide or low when one is doing the number Nothing could feel more natural in this day and age where fancy toilet bowls often dont flush or is plugged up and over flowing..

This is a moment and time i share with my son visiting the east Coast from Switzerland, land of snow peaks and lakes frozen half the year. A piece of myself that I have left behind but still in touch with every now and then like today. 

Awi's traditional Yacth and wants to sell it.. 

This is Art! This is creation out of love and passion, work and perserverence; this is survival of the most creative.. I am very proud to have been a part of this in my life for I have spent many great moments in my life here and so did my children Marissa and Karim. 

It is a time honored art, the art of building a floating pontoon bridge using recycled materials and Hashim my friend who is Awi's younger brother is one of those master builders all the way from model boats to real life size Prahu Pinis.

The tall nipah palms stands in the slat water  home to numerous creatures both during high and low tides. 

Hashim, or better known as Wan to the younger generation of Duyong kids, a Mc Guiver if there ever is one. whose wife has been ill for many years with incurable skin problems among other things..is another creative survivor who has made it in this round of life. Tall and proud men who deserves more than just simple respect but their achievements should be awarded.. Instead he is today being played out by the man he trust who has not paid 8 months rent to his showroom in the water front the result of which the council has put a lock and tag on his premises. Where is justice? The man has raised his children to the best of any man's ability and is involved in the Monsoon Cup race as a crew member of one of the leading vessels, this in itself merits an award or at least a token of recognition fro the local authority or Ybs as they are called here. No! lets teach this guy a lesson if he thinks he can get away with not paying his rent! Sorry my friend, them are the breaks! Malays has a saying.. Dah jatuh tangga ditimpa tanga! After falling off the ladder, the ladder falls on you.

This is where it all began. This was the primordial swamp from which it crawled out of the mud and started to explore the world beyond the water's edge.

Pulau Duyong is most famous for its traditional boat building sanctuary. Here master boat builders come together every now and then whenever there was someone to spend the money to own a traditional cruise liner, this is where it happens 

Not much gojng on these days as there is not much interest in getting this unique culture alive and so chances are this is another art going into extinction if the government does not do something about it. 

If there is anything worth taking picture of in the area is this broken down dillapidated house . This is architecture meets mother nature.